Masks
by roguedoll
Summary: Every once and a while you must where a mask to hide your true pain.
1. Flint

Title: Mask  
  
Disclaimer: DD and Hasbro own write and what ever else to these characters.  
  
Summary: I was asked to try something serious so I figured I would leave you guys this while I'm in Savannah.  
  
Pairing: none  
  
Author: Rogue  
  
The helicopter landed the figure cloaked in darkness ran toward it. Turning to the vipers he shot off the last of his bullets as he dived in head first into the helicopter. Barely hanging on as it took off. He made his way to one of the hard bench seats. He stared off into darkness. The extraction unit said nothing they knew this mood and knew to leave well enough alone.  
  
"So Flint, you thought you could win?" Dr Mindbinder walked up to him. "We have the plans and we will destroy the worlds power supplies, then government leaders will have to come to us if they want to run the countries."  
  
All of a sudden an explosion rent the night. "What the?"  
  
"I rigged some explosions, in your lab; Mindbinder, your little game is over."  
  
The lights flickered, then darkness. Flint noticed that his manacles had shorted out. Once his eyes adjusted, he noticed that Dr Mindbender had flown the coupe. "Don't worry I'll let my self out." He mumbled to him self.  
  
In a flash Cobra Troopers began to over take him. After cracking some skulls together and relieving one of his gun. He made his way to the exit; but, A cadet about sixteen years of age, blocked his way. "N-Not so fast." The boy told him. Flint realized that in his hands was a gun aim right at his chest. Flint aimed his gun at the boys head. "Put the gun down, get the hell out of here." Flint told the boy.  
  
The Boy just shook his head. "Cobra is the way and the light. We will take over this worthless earth."  
  
"Son, listen to me just put the gun down." But the kid just stood there His trembling hand holding the gun at his chest. It had reminded him of some fucking Wild West stand off. Jesse James against 'Wild Bill' Hickcock He watched the boys face screw up and start to cry. "I'm so sorry. I-I- " the boy cried. In a blink of an eye the boy fired at him, years of training caused him to fire back. He felt the bullet dig into his arm. But the kid.. the kid he didn't feel a thing. His unseeing eyes just stared at nothing.. They never would again either. The bullet had killed him instantly.  
  
Whoop… Whoop… Whoop  
  
"Let me look at the arm Flint."  
  
"Leave it be Lifeline." He growled.  
  
"But It…"  
  
He shot Lifeline a look. "You can look at it when we get to the PIT"  
  
With that Flint got up and walked to the back of the Helicopter. Lifeline was at a loss at the anger in the Warrent Officer's voice. Roadblock shook his head. "Lifeline lay off him. He's not stupid, he'll let you look at it back at the pit. He just has something he needs to sort out, by the look of him something happened."  
  
Flint leaned against the on the wall of the chopper, his thoughts on a sixteen year old boy and the depravity of Cobra… At sixteen he was trying to get a Drivers license, trying to get money to take a girl to the movies, win the playoffs. What would make a kid get involved with group like Cobra? Family environment? No, a couple of Joes had families that had not been the greatest, he also knew of some that their family life had been down right horrifying.  
  
The family legacy? A family member in Cobra Dragging them in? Naw doesn't wash though they had seen examples of that the Joe team had examples where it didn't work. The team's top covert ops officer was Destro's cousin. He couldn't think of another Joe that he didn't trust more. It was the fact that Cobra took these kids in and offered them pretty lies.. Money, wealth, to others it was as simple as clothing and shelter… the promise of never being hurt again.  
  
To never be hurt again? He closed his eyes the sight of the boys sightless eyes opened. Side of his head blown off would forever haunt him. He was someone's brother, someone's a son. No one would know that he laid dead. No kind words would be said over his body.  
  
He hands shook as he heard the gun shot through his mind. He could feel himself pulling the trigger again. He had destroyed a young mans life. Some one who might have found the cure for cancer.. become president.. or just grown up in suburbia with a wife two kids and a dog. But he couldn't stop him he couldn't talk him from pulling the trigger.  
  
He silently wept for a boy that he destroyed for his own self preservation. He saw the boy pull that trigger and he was selfish. He wanted to come home and watch this weeks episode of Alias. He wanted to be able to sit behind his car and drive it again he wanted to come home and see his girl… But because of him a boy future is destroyed.  
  
"ETA 2 minutes Flint." He heard roadblock yell back to him.  
  
He took a deep breath, pushing the emotions to the back of his head. It this little place called: 'for use later'. For when he needed a little extra. When the adrenaline fails him, when his body begins to no longer listen. He brings a little of it out. Not too much just enough to push him forward.  
  
He felt the copter land. Exiting the shadows of his mind and the copter itself. He put his mask on, a lopsided grin. 


	2. Beachhead

Here you go Robin my contribution. All you guys please be kind.. I have never written Beachhead before.. And for those who have read the first Mask the object is to find his 'Mask' and not the green ski mask either. So here goes. If you have any problem with the characterization, I gave him. You know what you can do? BITE ME!  
  
Oh yeah forgot the really important stuff. Hasbro owns these guys not me..  
  
Masks: Beachhead  
  
Three forty five in the morning, everything was calm, if one listened really hard you could here the crickets making there song. The calm before the storm was what he called this time. Before the day starts and all the ruckus could be heard on the base. The mixture of the motorpool chaos and flyboys flybys added to the 'green shirts' training and well it was a loud noisy mess. So this time he came out here to take a few seconds of alone time. This time he used to think back on his past sins and transgressions. A man in his line of work had lots; you got it doing his job. Thing was you did not dwell on them you just pushed forward, but sometimes you got weak..  
  
The bullets were not what scared him; it was everything else in this nightmarish hell did. They had been doing some basic keeping the peace in this area; seemed like some kind of super-terrorist group had been causing trouble and the UN thought it would be nice for the US Army to come down and tell them to play nice. Everything had been quiet; his unit had not seen any action and honestly; they were treating it like a joke. I mean what did this group call them self, Cobra? How serious could you take a terrorist group that wore Blue Pajamas and their leader wore a tablecloth over his head? So, when they stopped for a break they just did only a preliminary check of their surroundings. Then they all started talking about there homes, girls, and families. He found himself even throwing in some stuff about his 'sweet' Alabama. They were not paying attention they were not on guard. They were FUBAR. However, they just did not know it. He had just passed his canteen to Johnson when he found out two important rules. One: never underestimate your enemy (no matter the fashion faus pas they make) and two: never be complacent. He never heard the shot fired. He just watched in horror as Johnson slumped over gun shoot wound right between the eyes. Looking up he saw a Pajama Party detail had them surrounded. He ordered for them took take cover.. But it was to late. Three more of his men fell. They ended up just taking cover and trying to survive trying to pull out a couple more minutes out of their lives that god had already condemned. He found himself praying to god while Monroe fervently tried to get HQ on the radio. "Location five-zero-one. Five clicks from the south Village. We are surrounded." He tried again. "No use Sarge. Nothing. dead air. It sounds like they got the control base." "Damn." He set his sight and took aim at a CT but the man ducked behind the tree. He remerged to return fire. He closed his eyes as wood splintered in his face. Behind him, Briggs was not having any better luck. "We need the Fucking GI Joe team." "Don't you know they are a myth a legend?" He heard himself growl as he went to reload his weapon. He was realizing that these were the last of his bullets when he heard a thud. He had to hold back the tears of frustration when he saw Briggs lay on his side dead. Shot in the back. He lost it then something snapped. You don't shot a man in the back there is no honor in that. He found him self just shooting. He watched in satisfaction as he fell five more troopers, but they seemed to be everywhere surrounding him. He took two more down when his gun just made a clicking noise. He watched as there leader walked up to him laughing. He aimed his gun right between his eyes. Clicking his tongue "To bad, yet another example of how Cobra will rule the world." The man said to his troops. "When a training squad can take over a unit of Americas finest." The leader seemed quit pleased with his accomplishment. You boys need to stick to your football games." He shut his eyes waited for the man to pull the trigger. "I dunno I have always been an Navy Man." He looked up to see a man dress like one of the missing members of the Village people knock out the leader. Four other people took out the rest of the CTs. This was like nothing to them. He heard Briggs to his left say in awe "What do you mean a fucking legend?" His ride home he had just sat there thinking on his mistakes. In his carelessness, men that were under his command had died. He remember his CO telling him that it was not his fault, that no one knew how serious Cobra was. It happened, but it would never happen again, not on his watch, he swore to him self that he would become the best.  
  
The noise of the barrack doors swinging opened jarred his thoughts into the present. He smiled at the murmurs of sleepy voices. Under his watchful eye, they all snapped to perfect formation ready for his tortures. It was his job, besides other things, to keep the members of the Joe team ready to fight. He had learned the hard way never be complacent, never put your guard down, you lose people you care about. That first unit was his brotherhood. This unit no matter how much at times it seemed a little unorthodox was his family. Is there a difference? Yeah. He would lay down his life for either; but some how these guys had worked their way in to his heart. Now; here he was making sure he did not lose even one of them. A couple of stragglers came in under the clock. "NOW YOU SORRY EXCUSES FOR SOILDERS DROP AND GIVE ME A HUNDRED!" He watched as a brunette was struggling to cut through the dregs of sleep. "COME ON JAYE YOU LOSER GET MOVING; I HAVE A COUPLE OF EXTRA LAPS FOR YOU IF YOU AREN'T CAREFUL. MOVE IT MOVE IT." He watched her glare at him and finally pick up pace. Yeah this one had fire this one would go far here. Nope ever since that night he hadn't lost one. Not on his watch anyway. "I SAID MOVE IT JAYE MOVE IT! THIS IS A RICH TEA TIME YOUR USE TO! COME ON LADY EVERY.. 


End file.
